| Maxime Mbanda | |
| Fullname: | Mata Maxime Mbanda |
| Birth Date: | 10 April 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Rome, Italy |
| Height: | 1.89m (06.2feet) |
| Weight: | 102kg (225lb) |
| Position: | Flanker, Number 8 |
| Currentclub: | Colorno |
| Youthyears1: | 2002−2011 |
| Youthclubs1: | Amatori Milano |
| Years1: | 2011−2012 |
| Clubs1: | Rugby Grande Milano |
| Years2: | 2012−2013 |
| Clubs2: | F.I.R. Academy |
| Years3: | 2013−2016 |
| Clubs3: | Calvisano |
| Apps3: | 40 |
| Points3: | 20 |
| Years4: | 2015 |
| Clubs4: | →Zebre |
| Apps4: | 4 |
| Points4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2016−2022 |
| Clubs5: | Zebre |
| Apps5: | 71 |
| Points5: | 35 |
| Years6: | 2022− |
| Clubs6: | Colorno |
| Repyears1: | 2013 |
| Repteam1: | Italy Under 20 |
| Repcaps1: | 8 |
| Reppoints1: | 20 |
| Repyears2: | 2014−2015 |
| Repteam2: | Emerging Italy |
| Repcaps2: | 6 |
| Reppoints2: | 5 |
| Repyears3: | 2016− |
| Repcaps3: | 29 |
| Reppoints3: | 10 |
| Clubupdate: | 6 May 2022 |
| Repupdate: | 20 Mar 2021 |
Mata Maxime Esuite Mbanda (born 10 April 1993) is an Italian international rugby union player.His usual position is as a flanker, and he currently plays for Colorno. Known for his ball carrying and athleticism.[1]
For 2015–16 Pro12 season, he named as Permit Player for Zebre in Pro 14.[2]
In 2013 Mbanda was named in the Italy Under 20 squad and in 2014 and 2015 he was also named to the Emerging Italy squad.[3] [4]
In 2016, from Calvisano, he signed for Zebre in Pro 14. He played for Italian team until 2021–22 United Rugby Championship season.[5] [6] [7] After a string of favourable performances, the No. 8, was selected to represent, the Italian national team in a test-match in San Jose, California, during Summer International tests against the United States. Italy won with a result of 24 to 20.[8] Since then Mbanda has been a regular in the Italian national side, featuring in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, in Japan.[9]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Mbanda volunteered for the Yellow Cross, a humanitarian organization in Parma that transports food and medicine for the elderly.[10] On 3 June 2020 the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella named Mbanda a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his services as a volunteer ambulance driver.[11]